Design Week articles from February 2008

Design Week archives from February 2008

British Council suspends restructure following outcry.(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... In a dramatic U-turn, the British Council has announced that it is to suspend its restructuring plans that would have led to the dissolution of its design and architecture department. The decision means the organisation, often referred to...

The Royal Mail stamps.
February 7, 2008... The Royal Mail today unveils a set of six stamps designed by consultancy Redpath, to celebrate the role that dogs play in people's lives. The stamps all feature specially commissioned photography by Tim Flach, and their launch coincides with...

London club to open with Sieff interiors.(Diana Sieff)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... A private members' club in London W1, aimed at the business community, opens on Friday (8 February), with interiors by Diana Sieff. One Alfred Place, from the creators of Soho House, contains sleep cabins, shower rooms, a bar and meeting...

Natural History Museum unveils fruits of signage project.
February 7, 2008... The Natural History Museum has this week put the finishing touches to the final stage of a three-year wayfinding and navigation project across its London and Tring sites. The museum's in-house team has completed internal signage, part of...

Royal Automobile Club overhauls members' lounges.
February 7, 2008... Private members' organisation the Royal Automobile Club is overhauling the main lounge areas of its two premises, in London's Pall Mall and Epsom in Surrey. In Pall Mall, Felbrigg Design will refurbish the smoking room, while in the...

Bryanston nightclub and bar.
February 7, 2008... Pupils at independent boarding school Bryanston are patronising a newly refurbished bar and nightclub designed by Noble Russell. The school appointed the furniture and interiors consultancy in September, following a three-way creative pitch....

LCI heads north with Glasgow gaming venue.
February 7, 2008... London Clubs International, the company behind The Casino at The Empire in London's Leicester Square, is to unveil a new casino this month in Scotland. The company has revised the design team appointed to carry out the branding and...

Design Now published by Taschen UK.(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Design Now, a new book published this month by Taschen UK, showcases recent work by 90 of the world's leading designers and design-led manufacturers. An in-depth study of contemporary design practice, it has an emphasis on sustainable...

YHA invests in 'budget chic' with interiors overhaul.(Youth Hostel Association)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... The Youth Hostel Association is planning a #13.5m revamp of several of its properties throughout England and Wales, in an attempt to create an instantly recognisable brand. The YHA has appointed London-based design consultancy Blacksheep...

DEJ work kicks off Discovery channel revamp.(Dunning Eley Jones)(Discovery Communications Inc. Animal Planet)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Discovery Communication's Animal Planet channel this week relaunches with a radical new style devised by screen branding specialist Dunning Eley Jones. US-based Discovery awarded the consultancy the contract following a paid, creative...

Flagship London Dunhill store details unveiled.
February 7, 2008... Alfred Dunhill's flagship London store is due to open this summer, with interiors by South African designer Graham Viney. It will include a private members' club, spa, private cinema, games room and restaurant. The menswear retailer is...

3 teams up with the Royal College of Art.
February 7, 2008... Mobile operator 3 has teamed up with the Royal College of Art to launch a competition for RCA industrial design engineering students to create a mobile phone. Three winners were selected: Vase by Nick Reddall, Iris Kuntz and Alex Hulme;...

IN BRIEF: 442 Design appointed by Royal Yacht Britannia Trust.(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Royal Yacht Britannia Trust has appointed 442 Design as lead consultant on the design of the reinstatement of the Royal Deck on the Edinburgh- based ship. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Vattenfall appoint The Brand Union.(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Nordic and central European energy company Vattenfall has appointed The Brand Union as its branding consultancy, following an international public tender. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Inspire Life event.(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Hitachi has appointed The Liquid Way to design and produce Inspire Life, a corporate event in London and Paris this spring showcasing the future of its technology. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Speakers at 'think outside the box'.(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Designers Sebastian Conran and Richard Seymour are to appear as guest speakers at a 'think outside the box' event at Blackheath High School in south London on 3 March. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Photon acquisition.(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Corporate Edge-owner Photon has acquired Naked Communications for #16.5m. The media planner was a sister group to Poke and Household within the Mother consortium. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

COMMENT: The battle for design at the British Council isn't over yet.
February 7, 2008... Though the tribulations of the Arts Council have attracted infinitely more media attention, there are similarities between recent wranglings there and the current situation at the British Council with regard to its arts strategy (see News,...

Two groups win Scottish Natural Heritage review.(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Scottish Natural Heritage, the body responsible for the conservation and maintenance of Scotland's national parks and natural resources, is to undergo a strategy and brand review. The organisation has appointed Edinburgh consultancy The...

Creative sector has been undervalued, says Nesta report.
February 7, 2008... Judging from the number of reports dedicated to it, the defining design issue of the Noughties is the creative industries' contribution to the UK economy. The seminal 2005 Cox Review and Will Hutton's Staying Ahead, to name but two, have now...

NEWS IN PICTURES: Sega to launch new game.
February 7, 2008... Sega is to launch a new game called The Club, with imagery created by Sheffield-based consultancy Uber which will also feature on packaging and in the advertising material. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

NEWS IN PICTURES: Brad Steven's latest venture.
February 7, 2008... Scottish entrepreneur Brad Steven's latest venture, the boutique hotel Saint Judes in Glasgow, has been given an interiors refresh by local consultancy Curious. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

NEWS IN PICTURES: New store for Holts.
February 7, 2008... Walford Wilkie has created a new store design for gemstone specialist Holts' outlet in Hatton Garden, London EC1, as part of a wider brand refresh. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

NEWS IN PICTURES: New online dating network.
February 7, 2008... Consultancy Delete London has created the branding and graphics for a new online dating network aimed at 'creative professionals'. The website, Stag & Dove, is due to launch later this month. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and...

NEWS IN PICTURES: Dyson launching new vacuum cleaners.
February 7, 2008... Dyson is launching two compact vacuum cleaners, the Dyson Ball upright and the Dyson Baby cylinder, both designed in-house and available from 1 March. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

NEWS IN PICTURES: Building Futures board game.
February 7, 2008... The Royal Institute of British Architects, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment and AOC Architecture have joined forces to launch the Building Futures board game, priced #45. It can be used to help communities and...

ANALYSIS: Staying shipshape.
February 7, 2008... Having secured Lottery funding, can both the Mary Rose and the Cutty Sark turn their ambitious design plans into reality? asks Sarah Woods In a fierce battle for funding, two of the nation's oldest ships - the Cutty Sark and the Mary...

PRIVATE VIEW: Something for nothing.(brand-customer relationship )
February 7, 2008... Building brand loyalty means exploiting all that modern marketing has to offer - a lesson the National Blood Service would do well to learn, says Clare Dowdy Brands love loyalty. But, of course, this involves us being loyal to them,...

INSPIRED: Adrian Wheeler.(Viewpoint essay)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Ever had a conversation with someone who really knows their onions? I did recently when I met for a Christmas drink with my local allotment- holders. Most, like me, are new to it all - we're the ones with the big plans and all the answers....

LETTER: Broome Jenkins - bridging the North/South divide.(Letter to the editor)
February 7, 2008... Broome Jenkins is fully committed to the regional design sector and the value of local talent. We started in Chichester, but opened a second office - Broome Jenkins North - to do work with a strong regional bias in the North West. So...

VOXPOP: Enticing shoppers back to the high street.
February 7, 2008... After a disappointing Christmas for several UK retailers, particularly in the footwear market, how can the use of design help to entice shoppers back to the high-street chains? Part of the problem for customers is being able to distinguish...

LETTER: A free-range life leads to free-range thinking, too.(Letter to the editor)
February 7, 2008... Following up your feature on Nesta's Rural Innovation report (News in Depth, DW 10 January), I have an admission to make - I work in a barn. That's not meant to be an uncomplimentary observation on the habits of my work colleagues - I...

LETTER: We must find a way to promote the role of wayfinding.(Letter to the editor)
February 7, 2008... I was very interested in your piece on wayfinding (Comment, DW 17 January). As this is our speciality, I can wholly concur with your thoughts. I am always surprised at the low level of interest in wayfinding shown by other industries. ...

LETTER: Push the use of Green solutions while we're about it.(Letter to the editor)
February 7, 2008... Gill Parker's take on sustainability and corporate social responsibility in the workplace is helpful (Business Insight, DW 17 January). However, we were surprised there was no mention of climate change and energy use. Design consultancies...

PROFILE: Jeanne Marell.
February 7, 2008... Former car designer Jeanne Marell is one of a new breed of multidisciplinary designers working at Nokia's London studio. Guy Bird talks to her about her projects, the iPhone threat and where Nokia goes next A year and a half ago,...

LIGHTING: Let there be light.
February 7, 2008... Past excesses have inevitably put light festivals in the doghouse with environmentalists, but an event in London this week turns the tables and suggests they can be showcases for sustainable and responsible urban illumination, says Oliver...

FURNITURE FAIRS: Ode to cologne.
February 7, 2008... Henrietta Thompson rather enjoys the work on display at the Cologne furniture fair, but what impresses her most are the organiser's neat touches. Meanwhile, Natasha Edwards samples what the rapidly evolving Paris fair scene has to offer ...

BROADCAST DESIGN: Breaking news.
February 7, 2008... Does the relaunch of ITV's News at Ten in its old timeslot mark a return to traditional broadcast design values, or have podcasts and 'rolling' formats altered our expectations of TV news forever? Oliver Bennett investigates News...

BUSINESS INSIGHT: In search of new horizons.
February 7, 2008... For many design consultancies of a certain size, overseas expansion can be a logical next step in building the business, says Tony Walford Having an international footprint can bring a business many benefits, such as attracting clients...

The future is now.
February 7, 2008... By Quentin Newark We can hardly imagine the world that created Aleksandr Mikhailovich Rodchenko. He was born into an almost medieval Russia, with donkey carts and carp fishing and serfs, and witnessed the super-violent birth of a modern...

PUBLISHING & DESIGN: Customer magazines: An overview.
February 7, 2008... By Jim Davies However you look at it, the contract publishing sector is in rude health. As other brand channels furiously jostle for position and advertising in an uncertain and rapidly evolving media landscape, customer magazines are...

PUBLISHING & DESIGN: Two-way street.
February 7, 2008... Web strategies used to be a real headache for glossy magazine publishers agonising over cannibalisation and revenue models. Oliver Bennett finds a complementary approach to the integration of on- and off-line products works best The glossy...

PUBLISHING & DESIGN: Mag power.
February 7, 2008... There's plenty going on in the world of art direction at the moment. Yolanda Zappaterra meets up with three stars on the editorial design circuit, whose bold new titles are making a strong visual impact It is a long time since the mantra...

PUBLISHING & DESIGN: Cover story.
February 7, 2008... What makes a good front cover? Fiona Sibley talks to top creatives and discovers that there are no golden rules. Yes, it's about the perfect image and coverline, but it's also a matter of taking risks and being true to a title's core...

PUBLISHING & DESIGN: Balancing tricks.
February 7, 2008... How far should type designers go to accommodate the needs of ever- changing technologies? Scott Billings looks into the issue of type legibility as publishing platforms grow broader and more electronic Anyone familiar with the world of...

PUBLISHING & DESIGN: On-line publishing: An overview.
February 7, 2008... By Adrian Shaughnessy Just look at the advantages of on-line publishing: ad revenues are soaring; Internet publishing is Greener than print publishing; readers are more comfortable reading on screen than they once were; and devices like...

Designs of the Year awards signal new direction by Sudjic.(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... The Design Museum is poised to take a new direction to its awards, as its inaugural Brit Insurance Designs of the Year awards and exhibition launch to the public today. Design Museum director Deyan Sudjic says the show will have a...

Jason Bruges collaborating with Make Architects.
February 14, 2008... Lighting designer Jason Bruges is collaborating with Make Architects to create a facade for an office building on London's Baker Street. The so- called 'art-facade' consists of a series of steel lattice masks that will function as a...

Museum on the hunt for signage group.
February 14, 2008... Tyne & Wear Museums is on the hunt for a wayfinding consultancy for its Great North Museum and is set to begin tendering next month. Newcastle's new #26m natural history and archaeology museum has already appointed Agenda Design to...

Wallace Collection unveils shortlist for #500 000 revamp.
February 14, 2008... London historic house and museum The Wallace Collection has drawn up a shortlist of designers competing for a #500 000 project to revamp the Grade II-listed building. Exhibition design consultancies Small Back Room, Drinkall Dean, Gianni...

War images by Magnum co-founder get IWMN show.
February 14, 2008... One hundred powerful photographs by wartime photojournalist George Rodger are to appear at a major exhibition of his work launching at the Imperial War Museum North in Manchester. The Contact: George Rodger's War Photographs exhibition,...

Bermondsey warehouse transformed.
February 14, 2008... Greig & Stephenson, the architect that worked on London's Borough Market, has transformed a 740m2 Bermondsey warehouse into a coffee roasting storeroom, office and training venue for Monmouth Coffee Company. The retailer has coffee shops in...

Weird & Wonderful launches London movie museum attraction.
February 14, 2008... The events design group behind last year's Star Wars exhibition at County Hall in London's Westminster will next week launch what it hopes will be the UK's leading movie museum attraction. Film, theatre and production design group Weird...

Radium launches this week.
February 14, 2008... Music and sound design company Radium launches this week with a brand identity designed by Elmwood. The consultancy has taken Radium's signature 'R' and restyled it using the idea of sound waves to convey the diversity of audio work created...

Random House redesigns de Bernieres back catalogue.
February 14, 2008... Book publisher Random House is redesigning the entire back catalogue of Louis de Bernieres' novels to coincide with the launch of his new book, The Partisan's Daughter. The design work is a collaboration between Random House creative...

Design Council welcomes reclassification of the industry.
February 14, 2008... The Design Council is anticipating a number of industry benefits from the Office for National Statistics' reclassification of design. It is hoped that the reclassification will allow more data to be gathered on what the Design Council...

Learning & Skills Council names college architect roster.(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... The Learning & Skills Council has named the architects that will masterplan higher education building projects in the UK over the next five years. Those rubber-stamped to pitch for projects in southern England include KSS Design Group,...

Channel 4's giant 3D identity.(Mark Titchner )(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... Turner Prize-winning artist Mark Titchner has created the latest reinterpretation of Channel 4's giant 3D identity, outside its Horseferry Road headquarters in London SW1. The idea for the structure, which aims to bring the channel's brand to...

IN BRIEF: New gallery to open on Eastcastle Street.(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... Scottish gallery Stuart Shave/Modern Art will open a new gallery and offices on Eastcastle Street, London W1, on 24 April. It is designed by architect David Kohn. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Spiral Communications launch new division.(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... Digital and interactive marketing group Spiral Communications has launched a new consultancy division based in Leeds. S2 will cover branding for clients including HBOS, Minorplanet and the DVLA. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and...

IN BRIEF: International Institute for Environment and Development.(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... The International Institute for Environment and Development, part of the Greenhouse collaborative organisation, has released its annual report, designed by consultancy Mcgillaneves. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: LBI International acquisition.(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... Digital consultancy LBI International has acquired Belgian interactive group OX2. Last month LBI promoted its UK chief executive and former Oyster Partners founder Luke Taylor to the position of overall chief executive. Copyright:...

COMMENT: Techno-retailing reinforces the case for service design.
February 14, 2008... Vittorio Radice has likened current retail to the grand museums of yore. When at Habitat, and particularly as chief executive of department store Selfridges, Radice clearly saw his role as bringing culture to the masses and highlighting modern...

R&D&Co unveils hotdog retail concept.
February 14, 2008... The restaurateurs behind restaurants The Real Greek and Livebait will tomorrow launch their latest food retail concept, visualised and branded with the help of R&D&Co. Gourmet Hotdog, which opens in Soho, London W1, claims to redefine...

Tank stands firm in battle with BAT over book cover.
February 14, 2008... Tank is standing its ground against British American Tobacco, which wants it to halt the manufacture of a miniature novel packaged in a cigarette box-style pack. BAT claims that the cover of Ernest Hemingway's The Snows of Kilimanjaro and...

Obesity threat highlights role for design, says report.
February 14, 2008... Consumers are making active attempts to eat more healthily, but the threat of obesity is showing no sign of slowing down, according to a recent Datamonitor report. This contradiction persists despite efforts by food manufacturers,...

NEWS IN PICTURES: Alpha Men.
February 14, 2008... Alpha Men, an exhibition of work by illustrator and graphic designer Dotan Bahat on the theme of masculinity, runs at the Macondo galleries in London's Hoxton Square and Islington, until 2 March. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and...

NEWS IN PICTURES: Lapcat.(Reaction Engines )(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... UK design and engineering company Reaction Engines has hit the headlines this week with proposals for Lapcat, a hypersonic plane that could fly to Australia from Europe in less than five hours. According to Reaction technical director Richard...

NEWS IN PICTURES: Competition football.(International Federation of Association Football's competition football designed by Puma)(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... Fifa's latest competition football, designed by Puma in collaboration with materials technology and product design studio D30. According to the consultancy, the ball is the first of its kind to contain a layer of 'd3o' cushioning in the...

NEWS IN PICTURES: Panoramic.(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... Panoramic, owned by the Beetham Organisation, claims to be Liverpool's highest restaurant. Located on the 34th floor of the city's Beetham Tower, interiors for the venue have been created by architect Richard Eastwood of R2, while design...

NEWS IN PICTURES: Five handmade bottles.(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... Premium gin brand Bombay Sapphire has enlisted designer Karim Rashid to create Revelation, a series of five handmade bottles, made with the help of French crystal group Baccarat and decorated with Garrard sapphires and diamonds. They are...

NEWS IN PICTURES: Eco-Chic.(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... Eco-Chic: The Fashion Paradox, published by Black Dog to coincide with London Fashion Week, examines the ethical and organic movement in fashion design, looking at brands including Katherine Hamnett and American Apparel. The dust jacket has...

ANALYSIS: The ascent of interaction retail.
February 14, 2008... Retail is changing, as the old emporiums are transformed into interactive brand flagships. Mike Exon takes a look at the latest contender, Nokia The grand old stores of London are pretty used to being transformed by subsequent...

PRIVATE VIEW: Beware the 'D' word.
February 14, 2008... It seems everybody's in the design business now, says Adrian Shaughnessy, although many of those who use the word have little to do with creativity Don't be surprised if some time soon Gordon Brown starts calling himself the 'designer of...

INSPIRED: Alison Louise Brookes.(Viewpoint essay)(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... Alison Louise Brookes Knitwear Creative There is a painting hanging in our hallway called 'When I ride a flower bicycle I will have a good future', by Chinese pop artist and protagonist YuYouhan. As I leave the house every morning it...

LETTER: There are thriving self-help networks in the North West.(Letter to the editor)
February 14, 2008... Design Initiative is interested to note that Peter Spence did not discover any local self-help design networking groups in the North West (Letters, DW 31January). DI has been promoting good design and providing business support to...

VOXPOP: What can design do for UK pub chains?(Punch Taverns PLC)(Mitchells & Butlers )
February 14, 2008... Branding specialists have this week been eyeing the anticipated merger between Punch Taverns and Mitchells & Butlers for new business opportunities. What can design do for the UK's pub chains? The current economic environment is posing...

LETTER: The Church should use design to appeal to men.(Letter to the editor)
February 14, 2008... Referring to your recent articles on Christian visual communications (Comment and News Analysis, DW 24 January), I think they are more highly developed than either suggests. A clear understanding of good design is reflected in the...

LETTER: The market leaders are best placed to make a difference.(Letter to the editor)
February 14, 2008... Our Green and pleasant land, is it really going to happen? I agree with Jim Davies (Private View, DW 24 January), and fully support his view that it's up to us as designers to find new ways of expressing Greenness; to keep it fresh, exciting...

PROFILE: KesselsKramer.
February 14, 2008... Dutch design group KesselsKramer is opening a London office, but how will its idealistic approach fit in with the commercial realities of the UK market? Clare Dowdy speaks to co-founder Erik Kessels How should the UK's design industry...

WINDOW DISPLAYS: Pure indulgence.
February 14, 2008... Shop window displays need to be at the cutting-edge of creativity these days - especially in the capital during London Fashion Week. Lydia Fulton looks at what three major retailers have come up with this year Fine china teacups, silk...

PRODUCT DESIGN: Grey aesthetics.
February 14, 2008... How do you design products that will please today's aspirational and demanding 50-plus audience - and make them part with their money? Scott Billings addresses the issue on the eve of household appliance fair Domotechnica in Cologne Old...

BUSINESS INSIGHT: Do you need outside help?
February 14, 2008... The presence of a non-executive director acts as a safety net, whatever the size of your group. They can also help grow your business, says Anton Jerges Non-executive directors are often perceived to have a role only in big businesses -...

Searching for staying power.(Stockholm Furniture Fair)
February 14, 2008... By Henrietta Thompson Sweden having such an entrenched good reputation when it comes to design, visitors to the Stockholm Furniture Fair can be sure of seeing fabulous products, even if they are not the most innovative on the furniture...